The Fast and the Furious (1955)

Directors:

John Ireland
Edward Sampson

Writers:

Roger Corman (story)
Jean Howell (writer)

Release Date:

15 February 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery

Plot:

A man wrongly imprisoned for murder breaks out of jail. He wants to clear his name, but with the police pursuing him...

Plot Keywords:

Automobile | Public Domain | Beautiful Woman | Drag Racing

Cast

John Ireland	...	Frank Webster
Dorothy Malone	...	Connie Adair
Bruce Carlisle	...	Faber
Iris Adrian	...	Wilma Belding, Waitress
Marshall Bradford	...	Mr. Hillman, Race Marshal
Bruno VeSota	...	Bob Nielson, Truck Driver (as Bruno Ve Sota)
Byrd Holland	...	Doctor
Larry Thor	...	Detective Sergeant
Henry Rowland	...	Motorist in Park
Jean Howell	...	Sally Phillips
Dick Pinner	...	Officer Samuels (as Richard Pinner)
Robin Morse	...	Gas Station Attendant
Lou Place	...	Det. Faraday
'Snub' Pollard	...	Park Caretaker (as Snub Pollard)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:U (original rating) (1954-2005) | Germany:12 (nf) | Australia:M | USA:Approved (PCA #17117)

Filming Locations:

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, USA

Company:

Palo Alto Productions

Trivia:

The first film released by the American Releasing Corporation which would later become American International Pictures.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the early part of the race, the announcer in the grandstand gives detailed accounts of the racing action long after the cars would have been out of his view.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001)

A guy, a gun, a doll and a Jag... Let's have a race.

Hi, Everyone, This is a good movie for anyone who likes old cars and fast girls. The police drove Nashes. Dorothy Malone looked great. John Ireland does a good job being the quiet, likable kidnapper type.

Snub Pollard from the Laurel and Hardy days is here in a small role. Look for his mustache.

A fill up of gasoline and a check of the oil comes to $4 at full service. That seemed a little high, but it was a name brand station.

The plot is your basic girl/race car driver being kidnapped by the only young guy in town. This is after she is hit on by the local truck driver/detective wannabe senior citizen who remains unconscious for most of the film.

This was probably an excellent movie for a rainy night at the drive-in theater. This film has some nice moments.

If you like John Ireland, watch Red River for one of his earlier roles. Dorothy Malone did a movie I enjoyed called The Last Voyage.

Tom Willett